


A Gift of Happiness

by Tallihensia



Category: Smallville
Genre: Drama, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-10
Updated: 2011-01-10
Packaged: 2017-10-14 15:41:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/150849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tallihensia/pseuds/Tallihensia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lex wants to get Clark something special for the Holidays, however the giving rebounds on him and he ends up with more than he'd expected.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Gift of Happiness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [danceswithgary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/danceswithgary/gifts).



> **Disclaimer:** Only mine in my dreams. ^^ This story was written for free entertainment purposes only and may not be reproduced for profit or altered without permission.
> 
>  **Warnings:** none
> 
>  **Spoilers:** none
> 
>  **Notes:** Also known as "the puppy fic". ;D Set fictional season 3-4ish, though AU after season two to complete the fluffy happiness.

## A Gift of Happiness

Clark and Lex walked down the streets of Smallville in companionable silence. They'd just left the Talon and Lex had a steaming cup of coffee in his hand and Clark had his backpack slung over a shoulder. Clark had a couple of errands to run in town to get the weekly orders of produce sorted out, and Lex had said he'd go with him.

Out of the corner of his eye, Clark watched Lex. The young millionaire had settled into Smallville life despite his parent. Lionel was forever trying to lure Lex back home with one incentive or another, but after his island adventure a year ago, Lex had stayed in Smallville and refused to enter any more of Lionel's plots.

Lex had also dropped most of the investigations, content to be Clark's friend without the questions. There was still the flash in his eye when Clark lied to him after one rescue or another, but overall, Lex accepted it. The acceptance made Clark feel all the more guilty over having to lie to him. Perhaps one day he wouldn't. He trusted Lex more than anybody else except his parents. The only thing holding him back now was worry over how Lex would take it. If Lex ever turned away from him, Clark wouldn't be able to stand it.

After his own disastrous summer in the city last year, Clark also appreciated the quiet life more. The summer had been fun, exhilarating, incredible... but it had also disquieted him, knowing how much he'd liked it. He had broken up with Lana for a final time. Had tried to go out with Chloe again, but after much fumbling around, they'd both decided he was a better friend than boyfriend. He hadn't gone out with anybody else since then, preferring his own company and that of Lex's. Lex, at least, knew all about the temptations of the city and about giving into them. And Clark understood Lex a bit better now too, no longer just the innocent farm boy.

"Weighty thoughts, there," Lex teased Clark gently for the long silence.

Clark smiled at his friend. "Just reflecting."

"That's never a good sign."

Clark looked at the handsome face of his friend and kept the smile, letting it morph into something just between the two of them. That in itself was his answer.

Lex faltered for a moment, his own expression turning soft and gentle for Clark. Then he remembered propriety and slid the mask back on, showing nothing more than friendship as he looked away. "Was this your last stop?"

One day soon, Clark wouldn't let it stand there. He was seventeen now. That was a year past the age of consent in Kansas, and he couldn't get Lex in trouble. Well, not legal trouble, at least. The town gossip already had the two of them going at it like bunnies, so there probably wouldn't be any other problems there either.

"Yeah," he answered out loud and went into the shop to talk to Pattie about maybe switching some of her order for blackberry muffins to apple tarts. The blackberries hadn't produced this week as they had last week. Clark's being in town regularly for school meant that he got the "personal customer contact" that made them happier to switch than a phone call that said the same.

When he came out, Lex was down on one knee, playing with a huskie that somebody had tied up to go inside the shop.

Clark stood for a moment, watching Lex get slightly mauled by the dog, tongue bath and everything. Lex couldn't look happier, his head tilted up, his eyes closed, his mouth crinkled in laughter with lips firmly shut against the wet tongue dragging over his face. Clark's heart stopped a little at the sight.

As comfortable as they were, and as relaxed, neither of them had been particularly 'happy' since their separately ill-fated summers. Lex now shied away from any and all personal contacts except for Clark and his friends, and Clark was haunted with responsibility and duty, trying to make up for his excesses. They had both recovered, yet the scars were there. Seeing Lex happy, completely happy... Clark wanted it more.

With a smile, Clark got down next to them. The dog turned his attention from Lex to Clark, not really caring **who** it mauled, as long as it got to lick **somebody** and everybody petted him.

Lex laughed out loud as Clark's face received the same treatment. "Clark, I think you've made a new friend."

Clark petted the dog and managed to get the tongue directed towards Lex again. "Speak for yourself," he teased.

The owner came out of the store, introduced them more formerly to 'Curtis', and then took him off, the dog happily walking along next to his owner without a backward look at his new friends.

Standing up, Lex brushed off his pants. "Ah, such a fickle beast. If the dog was female, I'd believe it more."

Clark snickered and took a moment longer to stand up, waiting until Lex extended his hand to help. He didn't need the help, of course, but it was a great chance to touch Lex freely. "Careful, Chloe might resent that remark."

Lex made a careful show of looking all around in mock dismay. "Don't tell her!" He held Clark's hand a moment longer, then reluctantly let go. "You like dogs."

"Well, yeah." Didn't everybody?

"I just realized... you don't have any at the farm. I thought it was a small-town requirement, for farms to have dogs."

Uh oh. Clark looked away. It was something nobody had asked about for years and years and he'd totally forgotten. "Uh, well, actually, we can't have any. I'm allergic." Darn friends with sharp observation skills and inquisitive natures. Lex probably had no clue at all that this was one of the things that shouldn't be questioned.

Lex blinked, his gaze wandering over the dog hair left on Clark's clothing.

"It's okay for short periods," Clark said as he brushed off his clothes. "But anything longer is bad." He improvised a little. "Used to be worse when I was younger. I've gotten better."

"Oh, that's a shame," Lex finally said. "I knew a few people in college like that... they gravitated towards the people with pets but always were miserable when they got home."

"Yeah," Clark sighed, hating to have to add another lie onto their relationship. "I'll have to take some medicine tonight." He wondered if they even had any anymore. Mom used to keep some in the cabinet in case of nosy neighbors. "But it was worth it. Friendly dog."

Lex grinned, looking down the sidewalk where the owner and dog were walking. "Yeah." He looked at Clark. "Do you need to go home now, or did you have time to come by for a game of pool?"

"As long as I get my homework done," Clark said happily, "I'm always up for pool."

They headed back to Lex's car and a drive to the castle. Clark's parents had been relaxing his curfew more and more lately, so it wouldn't be a problem. They had shifted a lot of the farm work from Clark's chores to having hired help during the day, in preparation for Clark going off to college when they would no longer have him around.

When Lex had bought the deed to the farm and given it back to the Kents, it had given them a second lease on hope as well, and the farm had prospered in the last year. His parents were happy and not fighting about the little things as much.

They were also pretty much resigned to his friendship with Lex. Clark had even gotten the safe sex lecture from his dad a second time, this time aimed slightly more towards guys than girls, which had just been the most embarrassing thing for both of them. In the end, Jonathan had pointed him at some websites, and a bunch of condoms and lube had mysteriously appeared in the loft. Clark hadn't told him he'd already found better websites. He didn't think his dad wanted to know.

The irony was, though, that Clark and Lex hadn't done anything yet. Too careful of each other and their friendship for either to make a move.

After they got to the castle and were in the middle of the game, Clark watched Lex move around the table for another shot. He knew that their comfortable safe relationship would have to change. Soon. Both of them wanted it too much for it not to happen. Clark raised his cue for his own shot and concentrated on the balls. Just a little more time to be friends first.

... ... ...

"Where are we going, Lex?" Clark buckled himself in and prepared to enjoy the drive. Lex was kidnapping him for the day with his parents' permission.

Lex grinned at him. "You'll find out. Did you bring your iPod?"

"Yeah." Clark hooked it into the stereo system and set it to play on the Clark and Lex mix – a set of songs that they both enjoyed. The iPod itself was a gift from Lex the year before. A Christmas gift, so it was okay in the Kent household.

They drove out along the freeways, staying to the back roads mostly to enjoy the time together. Clark quickly figured out they weren't going to Metropolis, and after that just sat back and let Lex be happily mysterious about it. As they drove, they talked about Clark's studies, and they talked about Lex's research.

After some more incidences and rescues, Lex had finally convinced Clark it was necessary to study the meteorites, if done very carefully. Clark held Lex to that 'careful' standard, and any new scientists had to get screened by him first. The ones that didn't approve of talking to a teenager, Lex dismissed out of hand. Lex now had a core group of six scientists who didn't mind living in a small town and taking suggestions from both a young millionaire and his teenage farmboy friend. They were too fascinated by the things that happened to care about any irregularities. Plus, Lex paid well. And Clark was nervous, but happy that he at least had someplace to go with his questions when mutant problems came up. The biggest trouble, of course, was keeping Lionel out of the mix. But he seemed to accept the periodic updates on the more conventional research Lex was nominally doing, and only came by with new listening devices and bribe-attempts every other month instead of every week as he'd done originally.

For long stretches of road, they wouldn't talk at all, listening to the music. Clark watched Lex during some of these stretches. Studied the elegant lines of his face, the portrait view of a face on a coin, yet more approachable than steel or copper. Or at least more approachable to Clark. For others, Lex could be just as remote as a statue, or as cold as one depending on what was happening. For Clark, though, Lex was always open, warm, real.

After five hours and one gas station stop, Lex pulled off into smaller roads and Clark sat up and started looking around. It looked like any other small town just outside a large city, and he had no clue what they were after in this one. Then they pulled into a driveway.

"Kendelwick Kennels" read the sign. As they got out of the car, a barking symphony rose to a crescendo and then died down again.

"Kennels?" Clark asked, curious about what they were doing there.

"Kendelwick Kennels," a cheerful voice replied from the front porch. Middle-aged, the lady was strong and healthy, with the whip-cord body of somebody who worked hard at what they did. "I'm Julie. Pleased to meet you. Mr. Luthor and Mr. Kent, I presume?"

Lex walked up to shake hands with her. "I'm Lex. This is Clark."

She shook hands with Clark as well. "Would you like anything to drink? To rest for a bit? I know you had a long drive."

Lex shook his head. "We're good. Can we..."

Clark rolled his eyes at his friend. Some of the city manners still wouldn't wear off, no matter how long he'd lived in Smallville. Business first, always. He just didn't get that accepting the little courtesies like a glass of water were what everybody lived by. Most people didn't have the large money to throw around, so they appreciated the courtesies all the more.

The lady, Julie, noticed Clark's expression and winked at him as if to say she was used to it. "Out this way, then. I have three litters you might want to look at. Sashie had eight pups four weeks ago, so they won't be ready to go for awhile longer, but if you like them, we can arrange visitation until they're ready to be spayed and neutered. Kissy's pups are six weeks old and are at that perfect age. Our oldest set are eight weeks and they're the last two left from Rosa's litter. Because I need to make room for Cas, who will be laying in at any day now, Rosa's are half-price. They're both perfect, though. All of Rosa's litter was like that. Best little Yorkshire Poodles I've bred."

Dogs? Puppies? Clark glanced at Lex as they walked back to the kennels. What were they...?

As they walked into a large run with puppies playing everywhere and momma dogs resting to the side, Clark lost his heart. He didn't normally use girl-ly language, but there was absolutely no denying that the puppies were **adorable**.

The adults were little dogs, two of them being full bred Yorkshire Terriers with the third a Toy Poodle. The puppies were even smaller. Clark knelt carefully down, afraid that he might hurt such small little things. The small little puppies didn't care. They swarmed over to the new arrivals, barking and talking and announcing to the world that new toys were here.

Julie laughed and gave the puppies treats, along with larger ones for their moms. She shushed them gently. "You'll have to teach them when to bark and when not to. The terrier in them will want to announce anything and everything. We advise letting them bark a couple of times for a new arrival, and then quieting them. If you spoil them too much, they can become royal terrors instead of perfect pets."

Lex sat down on a chair and held his hand out to the puppies that came waddling over to him. "Are they housebroken?"

"The older ones, Rosa's pups, are. We're working on the younger ones. You'll have to learn their cues – every dog has their own way of letting you know when they need to go out. If it's really cold outside, we recommend litter boxes for them instead."

"Like a cat?" Clark asked, his large hand almost engulfing the puppy he was petting. Three others swarmed over his lap as he shifted to sitting.

With a chuckle, Julie nodded. "In principle, yeah. They adapt well to it. I can give you some literature on it, along with our usual pamphlets and training materials."

As cute as the puppies were, and as distracted by them as Clark was, alarm bells were starting to go off in his mind. He looked at Lex, alarmed.

Lex was watching him with a nervous smile. At Clark's wide-eye gaze, Lex swallowed and spoke rapidly. "They're hypo-allergenic dogs, one of the best breeds for allergic people. They don't shed with their curly fur, and their small size means less problems. They're very loyal and very smart. And cute. When you go to college, we can make sure you're in a place that takes dogs. If you want one..."

When Lex decided to get gifts, he **really** decided to get them. Clark wanted to cry. It would have been so perfect, and yet it was also so, so... Lexian! He couldn't have talked to Clark about it first, oh no, he had to bring them here first, with the puppies all around them. Less chance of Clark saying no, it was true – Lex had also learned that much about Clark. But Clark would have to bring the puppy **home** , and as good as his relations with Clark's parents had gotten over the last year, they wouldn't survive this.

"I know you couldn't have a dog because of your allergies, but these dogs really are good, and they'll be perfect companions. I can talk to your parents... Every farm needs a dog."

Clark looked down, ashamed and furious that he was in this position again. One of the two older puppies crawled up on his lap and tried to put her paws on his chest. Clark gently picked her up and cuddled her, which she allowed for a minute before she asked to go exploring again. "I'm not allergic," he said, his head bent over the dog.

There was a small silence from the humans. The dogs continued to whine and wuffle and snort and make other puppy sounds as they played.

"I can't have any dogs at all at home. I'm sorry, Lex."

The silence stretched and when Clark finally turned his head to look, it was worse than he'd expected.

Lex sat still, a look of bewildered pain on his face that was akin to those times his father came rampaging through the castle and then left. "Why would you lie about allergies?" Lex asked, the hurt in his voice obvious. The pain was trying to change to anger, but it kept fading back to baffled injury.

Julie coughed. "Not to interrupt personal stuff, but..." She looked at Clark. "You live on a farm?"

Clark nodded without looking at her, his gaze fixed on Lex. He wished Julie would leave, but then he supposed it was really him and Lex who should leave instead. He didn't look forward to another five hour drive with this between them.

"It's your dad, right? Your dad who is allergic. Or scared."

Clark's head whipped around as he stared wide-eyed at her. How did she...?

She shrugged. "I've seen it before. Not often, thank the Lord, but it does happen. As that one said, every farm is supposed to have a dog. And for those macho men who are allergic to dogs? Or worse, scared of them? It's harsh; it's really harsh on them in small communities. It's a lot easier to tell everybody it's the kid who's allergic. Hey, nobody blames a baby! Or a wife for being careful of their child. They all shrug and accept it and move on, without anybody having to know it's really the macho guy who can't have a dog. All's well... until somebody wants one of my pups."

"Are you serious?" Lex asked in disbelief, the hurt fading away to perplexity.

"It happens," Julie repeated. She gestured with her thumb over at Clark. "And from the way he's looking, I'm betting it's true. Which is it? Allergic or scared?"

"He was attacked by a neighbor's dog when he was a teenager," Clark whispered. "He'd just gone over to help... I've seen the scars. He tells everybody else the scars are from a farming accident."

"Oh yeah, that would do it." Julie wrinkled her nose. "And nobody keeps their dogs on a leash worth **anything** out there. Which would be impractical to be sure on a farm, but then you need some decent training and serious work with the dogs. If the dogs don't get that training, and if they happen to band together as a pack... it can get nasty."

"Why didn't you just **tell** me that?" Lex asked, still stunned. "I wouldn't even have thought of getting you a dog if I'd known."

Clark shook his head. It was just one of those things. Another one of the lies he'd always had to tell.

"About a **dog**..." Lex got up from the chair and put the puppy he'd been holding carefully down. "Excuse me," he said as he wound his way through the little paws and bodies and slipped out of the run.

"I'm sorry," Clark whispered to the puppy.

Julie plucked the puppy from his grasp. "Go after him," she ordered.

"I don't... it won't..."

"Oh, just go!" Julie pulled him upright and pushed him out. "Go find him, and tell him." She shook her head as she carefully shooed a puppy back inside with her foot. "Men. And with two men, it's three times as bad. What are you still doing here?"

Clark finally moved. Lex was already out of sight. With a sigh, Clark scanned the place with x-ray. Lex might want to be left alone, but Clark had to explain. One too many lies. Clark found Lex over on the other side of the yard in the barn section, petting one of the horses and headed over there.

As Clark's footsteps echoed through the barn, Lex stiffened but didn't turn around.

"I'm sorry," Clark told Lex's back.

"You lied about a **dog**..." Lex said again, his voice hitching. The horse he was petting snorted and moved back inside the stall, disquieted by the emotions.

Clark crept up a little closer. "It was reflex. I'm sorry. I just didn't think..."

"I got used to the other lies. I learned to accept them. I learned to stop questioning them. I wanted to be your **friend** , and I finally realized that the only way to do that was to stop asking. But those lies... I wanted to know, but at the same time, I could see **why** you'd lie. This. This... This was about a **dog**!"

Clark wasn't sure if it would be allowed, but he just had to. He put his arms around Lex, moving in so that his chest was against Lex's back, holding him closely, yet loosely enough that Lex could break free if he wanted to. "I'm sorry," he said yet again. He didn't know what else to say.

Lex didn't move inside Clark's circle of arms, but he didn't move away either. "The worst part is that I couldn't even tell you were lying," he finally said. "I've always been able to tell when you lie, you do it so badly. But this was so smooth... I really thought it was true."

Involuntarily, Clark snorted. "I've been lying all my life about stuff, Lex. I'm actually a pretty good liar. It's just... I never **wanted** to lie to you." He rested his head against Lex's, looking over the stall wall at the horse now eating his hay. "It was reflex. Nobody's asked me that in years. They all accepted the tale when I was young, and that was that. Small town. We couldn't have dogs at the farm because of me, and everybody knew it, so nobody asked."

"And then I came along." Lex sighed, relaxing slightly into Clark's hold, leaning back.

"And then you came along," Clark agreed. "And you showed me there was more to my world than just the little bit of it I had known. You excited me, scared me, shocked me, and made me want to know more. More of your world, and more of you. But I never liked lying to you."

"You wanted more of my world, and I wanted more of yours," Lex said ruefully. "Your loving family, your open-hearted goodness, your morals that always knew right from wrong, your freshness. You."

"Not always," Clark said, wincing. "I didn't always know right from wrong. I made it up as I went along, and sometimes I got it wrong. Sometimes still do."

"But you always try. That's something I---" Lex cut himself off, suddenly seeming to realize his position in Clark's arms and stiffening.

Clark tightened his grip just a little. "You do too," he said quietly. "You always try, and it amazes me how much you can, after the life you've had. It's something that I've always loved about you."

Lex caught his breath, holding it in and himself still.

Letting go, Clark released his hold far enough to step back and urge Lex to turn around. When Lex finally did... Clark wanted to cry at the look of hope and fear chasing each other across Lex's face.

"I do, Lex. I love you." Clark raised a careful hand and laid it against Lex's cheek. So soft and smooth. "I have for so long now."

The hope was winning on Lex's expression. He tilted his head into Clark's hand, his eyes never leaving Clark's.

It was time to see if the love of friendship could also be the love of more. Clark moved in, following his hand and tilting slightly for the right angle. And then he was kissing Lex. And Lex was kissing him back.

A press of lips to lips, with soft movements of skin and a leaning in to each other. Breath shared between them. Focus purely on each other. Trust and affection flowing freely.

They pulled back at the same time, looking at each other. Clark was delighted to see the pure joy on Lex's face, the sparkle in his eye, the curve of his lips. Clark was sure his own expression mirrored the same. They'd kissed and the world hadn't fallen apart.

Clark reached to do it again.

Some time went by before they thought of anything else.

Lex laughed softly, his hand on Clark's chest, holding him back. "I wanted to get you a puppy, and you give me love instead. The world is a unexpected place. But maybe we should go back home now."

Home. That sounded wonderful. Clark slipped his hand down Lex's arm until he could curve his fingers inside Lex's. "Okay."

Lex looked down at their clasped hands then looked back up with a smile. "I take it I'm a claimed man now?"

"Definitely," Clark replied, squeezing gently.

They walked out of the barn and back towards the kennels.

"Ms. Kendel. I'm very sorry about that, and sorry for your time. It looks like we won't be getting a puppy today." Lex cast a wistful eye at the run where all the puppies were still out playing.

Julie shrugged. "It happens. That's why I require people to come by and look at them and play with them first. You never know who is going to be right for a dog or when the perfect timing might be." She gestured towards the run. "As long as you've come all this way, though, you might as well stay a little longer. Have some fun. The puppies need more playing time. The more humans they're exposed to now, the better they'll be for a future owner."

It didn't really require much more coaxing than that. Within a few minutes, Clark and Lex were back in the run with puppies all around them and drinks and snacks for them. The snacks were set up on higher shelves where little dog mouths couldn't get to them.

Clark was the one down on the floor, laughing and playing tug-of-war and spin-the-bottle and toss-it with the puppies, but Lex was just as involved in his own way. Sitting on the chair, leaning over to dangle a bit of rope for some extra tug-of-war, letting the puppies find their way up the puppy stairs to his lap... Honestly, Lex was almost as adorable as the puppies.

After awhile of turning this thought over in his mind, Clark turned to Lex. "You know… I think you should get the puppy."

Lex blinked, the rope in his hand forgotten. "But you said---"

"Not for me, for you."

It was both funny and sad the way Lex looked so blank-faced at the suggestion. It was completely beyond his comprehension, that he could get a pet. The puppy at the other end of the rope gave a giant tug with all of her six pounds behind it and the rope pulled out of Lex's hand. He made no move to retrieve it, and the puppy dashed off to the other side, showing off her prize.

"Come on, Lex," Clark urged. "You were playing with that huskie on the street, and I've seen you with other animals too. When you wanted comfort, you went straight for the horse. And just look at you here – you love the puppies here. I know you do. You're totally a pet person when you let yourself be. Why not get one for yourself?"

Lex finally grinned a little ruefully at Clark. "I've never had a pet in my life. I wouldn't know what to do with one. Can you see a puppy roaming around in the castle? My dad would have a fit."

"It's your castle, not his, and you can rearrange it as you like. I've seen you do that before just because you got tired of stuff. That you haven't had a pet before... means it's all the more time you got one now." Clark widened his eyes for a 'please, won't you?' look.

"Puppy-dog eyes will have no effect on me," Lex said archly, "No matter how appropriate it might be at the moment." His face turned serious. "And the castle is technically Dad's – I just live in it."

True enough. Clark decided to change tactics. "I'll help. I've always wanted a pet, even if we couldn't have dogs at home. I'll be over every day after school to help train and clean and play and walkies... It'll be our dog, together. Just kept at your place."

And that was pretty much that. Within seconds, Lex had caved totally and completely. It was plain as day on his face.

"Whipped," Julie muttered under her breath. "Totally whipped."

"What was that?" Lex asked suspiciously.

Julie cleared her throat. "I said, don't whip them. If you've never had pets before, the impulse to hit them sometimes is going to be strong, but they're just little dogs and can't take much more than a gentle swat for correction."

Clark bit back a laugh.

Lex looked aghast at the thought and was totally distracted from the original statement. "I wouldn't."

"Just wait until the first time they break something you really liked. Or make a mess where they shouldn't. First thing any pet owner needs to learn is control. Control of themselves, first of all, and control of the animal secondly. Spend a lot of time with a trainer and get used to commanding them, not correcting. You can't just spoil them rotten, either."

"I'm not sure if this is the best selling technique I've ever seen," Lex remarked.

Julie grinned, no offense taken. "My dogs sell. They'll all go to homes, for sure. I, though, want to make sure my dogs go to the **best** houses for them. If you can't take a little advice now, none of these pups are going home with you at all."

For just a moment, a Luthorian expression crossed Lex's face, that of somebody who didn't like being thwarted in any shape, form, or way. Before Clark could worry, though, it disappeared and Lex returned the smile. "A good policy."

"One that loses me some business sometimes," Julie acknowledged, "but it gains me others. And I can be happy knowing my dogs have good homes."

They turned their attention to the puppies again, this time with an eye for more than playing. Some of the puppies had already fallen asleep, napping in sprawls and piles of puppies to regain strength before the next round of playing. The other puppies were variously roaming around. Short little legs carrying their little bodies around, the youngest ones still not very coordinated, stepping like they were trying to figure out this 'walking' thing. Rolling around when they decided not to walk, stopping where they stood and then getting up to try again. Tails wagging almost non-stop from every direction.

It was a run of cuteness, there in the pen. The little ears folded down, the curled fur, the inquisitive nature... the sheer happiness of every puppy there.

They came in a variety of colors. All brindled, some were grey and black, some were black and tan, some were tan and black. Russets, beige... all sorts of puppies. The darker ones with the black predominate had the beige over their eyebrows, under their mouths, and on their feet. The lighter ones had dark ears and faces and feet. Put all together, they made quite a show.

"The older ones," Lex said. "I don't think... I think I want one of the two older girls."

Clark put aside the younger ones that had been playing in his lap and searched out the two older ones. They were easy to find; slightly bigger than the others, though that wasn't saying much considering how small all of them were. They had unflagging energy, still running around and chasing each other and the others despite so many of the younger ones napping. They were both of the darker variety, a bit more of the Yorkshire showing through than the Poodle and with straighter fur, less curly. Russet and tan were their countershades against the black. One was more beige and russet, with the cutest little streaks of color in her ears and along her muzzle. The other was a lighter tan, almost white in some places. Her face was beautiful with the pale fur around her muzzle sticking out and the way the color streaked up her ears in large swaths.

Approaching them, Clark carefully crawled through the other puppies. Crawling was the safest way to get through so many small energetic bodies. Both the girls seemed to notice him at the same time and left off wresting with their playmates and ran to him with little tails wagging that shook their whole bodies.

Clark petted them both, laughing as they vied for his attention, yet in a good-natured way. Sharing a "me first, no me" without taking it out on their sibling. He scooped the lighter one up and handed her to Lex, then picked up the darker one. Having been so aided by human hands, the little ones suddenly found human faces within their reach and promptly tried to aid them in cleaning up.

As Clark bent his head to half-heartedly avoid the tongue, he saw Lex in the same predicament, a large grin across his face. Clark's heart melted, pooling somewhere around his feet at the sight; Lex didn't grin often enough anymore. These puppies would definitely be a good idea, if they could make Lex smile.

"Can we get both of them?" Clark impulsively asked. It might have been the affect of seeing them all together like this, yet Clark just couldn't imagine a single puppy without a companion to play with. Playing with them, sure, but neither he nor Lex would be able to be with them all the time. School and work would unfortunately see to that.

Lex looked up, his face relaxing into relief. "I was having a horrible time trying to choose! That's a great idea." He turned to Julie. "Two would be all right?"

She grinned at them. "Two would be fine. And there's a special on right now anyhow, so you've got them like two in a pod. They're good girls, get along fine with each other, and they've been missing their sibs so they'll be really happy to be going together. Mind you don't skip the training sessions, though. With 'em both, you're going to have your hands full as they'll just encourage each other. It'll help too, though, since they'll get to play together as well."

Picking up one of the Yorkshire Terriers, Julie cuddled the older dog and held her close. "There you are, Rosa. All your pups off to good happy homes. You're a good bitch, yes you are."

Clark blinked a bit and then realized that for dogs, 'bitch' was the proper term for a female dog. He fought not to erupt in giggles and hid his face in the puppy's fur, at which she promptly scrambled away from him. She didn't go too far, though, as she discovered his shoelace to be of great interest.

"All right, let's get out of the romper room here, and you can have a bit more time with the chosen two. I want to run you over with some leash and handling basics, so you can see what works for Yorkie Poos."

Efficiently, the two found themselves in short order in the run being given a once-over on collars, harnesses, different types of leashes, and what to watch for in their little dogs. Not having had dogs before, Clark really appreciated the information and he could tell Lex did too. Lex was now five times as anxious about the dogs than he was before – knowing he was the one who was going to take them home made him responsible. Different than just buying a gift for Clark and coming by to visit now and again. Clark smiled while watching Lex try to absorb everything Julie told them; he really wanted to be a good dog owner.

The hardest part for Clark was when they were out walking with the dogs. They were so **tiny** that Clark was really worried about missing them or stepping on them accidentally. Julie reassured him on that part. Well, she didn't **entirely** reassure him, but she assured him he would get used to it, and if they took the dogs to training, they'd be less likely to get between his legs while walking. They were already pretty good at it, obviously having had a fair amount of training already. The emphasis Julie kept putting on the training, Clark suspected, was for their sake almost more than the dogs.

Eventually, they came away with two new dogs, bouncing and eager and determined to explore Lex's car... Julie laughed when she saw that and let them also buy from her a large carrier. She explained that when they got older and for trips to the vet, two smaller carriers would be better, but for the long drive back, they would be just as happy together in the larger one. Oh, and Lex was to stop at a rest spot every hour to check and see if they needed to go to the bathroom.

Clark bit his lip to keep from laughing at the dismay on Lex's face, but the young millionaire covered it up well and then was just as obviously determined he would make sure they did everything right.

For the start of the drive home, it was a good thing they were in country roads without a lot of people around, as both Clark, and more frighteningly, Lex kept turning around to look at the puppies in the carrier in the back seat. The puppies, in their turn, were forthcoming and vocal about their dislike for the car ride and being confined in this small enclosure.

Eventually, thankfully, the puppies fell asleep. Then it was mostly just Clark twisting around periodically to check and make sure they were still there and they were okay.

The conversation was mostly taken up with names.

"Spot is not a name. Spot is a description. It's also not a very **good** description of these two. Absolutely not." Lex was firm.

Clark grinned; he'd just been teasing. "How about Rose and Peony?"

Lex paused for a moment, then shook his head. "I'm not going to give a poor creature a name that might be shortened to "Pee" in a moment of brevity. Gardenia, maybe."

It was Clark's turn to veto that one, as well as the suggestions for Xena and Gabrielle, though not without some regrets for the latter. They didn't really need more warriors, though – the puppies were their home and family, for relaxing and enjoying, not companions in a wild adventure full of danger and excitement.

Hypatia, the librarian of Alexandria, got serious consideration, however they just couldn't think of a good companion name, plus, the manner of her death was almost more memorable than her life and neither wanted that hanging over a poor puppy. "No names we'll have to explain to anybody," Clark decided after that, which promptly shot down most of Lex's ideas.

Even though he'd already been told not to, Clark kept coming up with descriptor names like Fleetfoot and Firewalker. Neither of which, Lex pointed out, was particular apt for Yorkie Poos who probably wouldn't reach more than two feet high.

"Great dreams!"

"No."

"But---"

"No."

They turned to regular names after that, pulling out Sally and Sandy. Which led Lex to telling about a couple of sisters he'd known named Sandy and Wendy.

"So?"

"Their last name was 'Beach'."

Clark was caught between laughing and horrified that parents could do that to their kids.

"What I'm always amazed at is that more kids don't legally change their names when they grow up." Lex paused. "Maybe I should change my last name. Think Dad would mind?"

"Your dad would throw a gasket!" Clark was caught between the same feelings of laughter and horror that he'd just felt earlier, though for different reasons. He could just imagine... no, he couldn't. Whatever he could think of, it would probably be ten times worse. Or a hundred.

"He would, yet it would almost be worth it not to have to be a Luthor anymore," Lex sighed wistfully.

"What would you be instead?" Clark asked, curious.

Lex turned his head to look at Clark with a steady, solid gaze, before he returned his attention to the road. "I'll have to wait a few more years before I can become a Kent by marriage."

In spite of the incredible joy he felt, Clark blushed a solid beet red. Delight, worry, anticipation, fear, longing... The wave of emotions was too much, and he turned around to check on the puppies again.

"How about Tesla?"

Clark returned his gaze to the front. "We're not naming them after cars!"

Lex laughed. "I was thinking of the inventor, I swear."

"Uh huh." Clark flipped through more names mentally. "Tessa and Molly?"

There was a long pause. "I like them... but I think those names are taken. Let's go for something original."

"There's no dog names under the sun that are original, unless we make up random sounds. And even at that, they've probably been used."

"True, but---" Lex was cut off as one of the puppies threw up.

Parking on the side of the road, they fussed over the puppies and cleaned the carrier and Lex didn't make mention once of the new spot on the back of his seat where the projectile had come through the wires. Well, mostly didn't mention.

"Trouble and Mischief," Lex muttered.

Clark laughed long and hard. "Tolly and Mist?" He shortened the names to something that could be publically accessible.

Lex grinned. "Mist is the light-haired one."

"And Tolly the darker-hair," Clark agreed.

It felt strange, to come to an agreement like that after having gone back and forth so many times. Yet there was no denying that the names just fit like cozy sweaters on the two puppies. Nobody had to know the other meanings, and the puppies wouldn't know either.

They made it home without any more incidents, the rest stop having gone smoothly and the puppies knowing their business.

"Should I drop you off at your place?" Lex asked as they got near Smallville.

"Are you kidding?" Clark grinned. "I wouldn't miss this for the world! The girls are going into their new home!"

The look on the faces of the household staff was worth it alone, when they saw the young master come home with two itty bitty toy puppies and he announced that the puppies would now be living there with them. Lex made it quite clear to everybody that the puppies were to be treated appropriately. Though, really, none of the staff looked like they hated the idea – more they appeared to worry about the items in the castle (shown with quick glances around at the more breakable items), and how much they would have to take care of the dogs. Both of which questions were solved as Lex announced the puppies were going to be with him tonight and that tomorrow they would look at puppy-proofing the place.

Clark laughed. "I guess we're first puppy-proofing your room, then. Are you sure you want them there?"

Lex looked at the two puppies straining on their leashes to get over to the new people and the new place and greet and explore, and a soft smile appeared on his face. "I'm sure."

For another two hours, Clark hung out in Lex's bedroom, alternately playing with the puppies and trading kisses with Lex. There wasn't any need to rush into anything more, as they both knew they would get there when the time was right. This was the time to just be together with their new first step, and the new puppies.

Reluctantly, finally, Clark went home. His bedroom seemed very small and lonely to him, though it never had before. However, it had no puppies in it, and there was no Lex. Tomorrow. Clark would go by tomorrow, and then all three would be there – the best of all worlds.

... ... ...

"How are we doing today?" Clark breezed in, eager to see his new family.

Lex looked up from the couch in the living room where he'd been lying with a laptop and two lap dogs all trying to make room on him. There was plenty of room the next moment as the puppies leapt off him and dashed to Clark.

"Oof!" Lex put a hand on his stomach where Mist had launched herself from. "For such small things, they pack quite a wollop when they want to."

Clark laughed at him as he knelt down to greet the puppies. They seemed to recognize him, wagging their tails, putting their noses on his face, and sniffing him all over, particularly his shoes.

"Chores all done at home?" Lex asked, sitting up and shutting the laptop.

"Yep. I have to be back for evening ones, but Mom and Dad said I could stay the day. They were amused about the puppies."

"Really?"

Clark had to grin at the skeptism in Lex's voice. His dad and Lex got along better now, but it still wasn't all smooth sailing. "Yeah, really – as long as the puppies didn't come home with **me**... And Dad apologized for the allergy thing. I think he'd forgotten about it." Clark's dad had even apologized for starting it in the first place, at which point his mom had insisted she'd started it, and then they all ended up okay, with a couple of conditions.

Speaking of which... Clark pulled out the camera. "Smile, Lex."

Lex looked up in time for a startled blink in the flash. Then he shot Clark a dirty glare which Clark also immortalized. Then Clark turned his attention to the puppies. Most of the photos were going to be long blurry streaks as the dogs kept dashing all over the place, but hopefully a few would turn out. That was the nice thing about digital photography – you could afford to take 'maybe' shots and not worry about wasting film.

"Mom wants puppy pictures," Clark explained.

"I figured that," Lex said dryly as he moved over to his computer desk and hooked the laptop up to charge.

"She said she wouldn't mind a few of you and us too."

Lex gave him a sharp look. "Did you tell them...?"

Clark shrugged. "Not in so many words, but apparently I was using 'we' a lot more than usual, and smiling, and drifting off into dreamy silences... They figured it out pretty quick. And then I got not only the safe sex lecture **again** but also the be-sure-you-know-what-you're-doing lecture and the---" Clark cut himself off from mentioning the watch-your-abilities one. Though really, all the discussions were much more relaxed than they'd ever been. More of half-hearted reminders than anything serious.

"Should I be ready for the shot-gun?" Lex inquired.

"I'm seventeen," Clark reminded him.

"I know. And they're parents."

Clark grinned. "No shotguns." He held up the camera. "Just this."

"Fine." Lex bent over and snapped the leashes onto the dogs' collars and handed Tolly's to Clark, retaining Mist's. Then he picked up Mist too, holding her in the crook of his arm. "Coming?"

Picking up Tolly, Clark hurried after him. They stopped off briefly in the kitchen for the cook to take some pictures of them and the puppies together, while the kitchen staff laughed politely at them. Then they went outside.

"We're going to have to get them sweaters soon," Lex remarked, looking around at the bare-limbed trees.

The puppies obviously didn't agree, taking their time to finish their business, then hauling their humans from one outdoor tree to the next pile of leaves to the next interesting thing on the list.

"Being dragged around by three-pound puppies," Lex murmured, with a grin playing on his lips.

Watching Lex trying to be stern yet melting every time one of the puppies did anything was so cute, Clark had to stop and kiss him.

When they got back inside the castle, they spent some time mapping it out.

"All the Ming vases and other antiques have been taken into the storage areas. The things that are expensive yet not irreplaceable can stay out."

"Only if they're not going to hurt the puppies if the puppies accidently somehow topple them."

"Good point." Lex chewed his pen for a second and then added a few more items onto the list. "Family room, study, my room... those are all definitely theirs. Kitchen is off-limits, so is the weight room and the pool."

"On leashes or heel-command when they finally learn it when in hallways," Clark added.

"Because hallways lead to other places," Lex agreed. "There's enough room in the main areas for them to have a lot of room to explore. With them so small, everything else is huge to them."

"Have you looked up trainers yet?"

"I'll do that tomorrow at work," Lex promised. Then he grimaced. "I still don't quite know what to do about work. I don't want to leave them at home all the time, but a factory isn't exactly the place for them. Let alone the precedent I don't want to set for the employees."

Clark shrugged. "That's why there are two of them. It'll be okay. People do it all the time with dogs and cats."

"Yeah, but..."

"You could always have some of the staff play with them."

Lex raised an eyebrow at Clark. "I might be rich. I'm not that decadent. Besides, I want the dogs to be ours, not to bond with somebody who spends more time with them than we do."

Clark laughed. "I've always wondered about that when you see it on tv..."

They spent the rest of the day fixing up the rooms to be both livable and good dog rooms too, playing with the puppies, and more kissing and playing with each other. The puppies were always ready to join in whenever a kiss was exchanged, which kept things light and happy.

The weekdays, they held to their schedules – Lex walked the puppies in the morning before he went to work, then they stayed in their designated puppy rooms during school and work. Clark would come by after school and walk them before he did his deliveries. Then he'd come back after Lex was home from work. Evenings belonged to both them and Clark and Lex altogether, the four of them spending quality bonding time.

As predicted, the first time the puppies made a big mess, it shook Lex to realize he could actually be angry at these cute adorable dogs that had captured his heart. Clark dryly remarked that it didn't stop Lex from still being angry at **him** on occasion, and Lex adjusted.

"So what you're saying is that you're just a giant puppy-dog?" Lex reached over to ruffle Clark's hair. Clark just grinned at him, unrepentant in the truth.

The first week went by almost too quickly, though they had hundreds of photographs to document it, and Martha was enjoying herself. She had come over a few times as well to visit and cuddle the puppies, taking great delight in them. Puppy photos, and Clark and Lex photos as well, were now up on every corner in the farmhouse.

When the weekend came, Clark was both anxious and eager.

"Could we take them out for a field trip?" Clark asked Lex.

"A field trip?" Lex smiled. "That you won't tell me where... is this to make up for last weekend?"

Even though Lex meant it to mean because he'd taken Clark off without telling him where, Clark chose to interpret it the other way. "Yes. Shorter drive, though."

They packed up the puppies and the leashes and the clean-up after the puppies materials and headed off, Clark directing by side streets until they reached the bridge.

"Pull off where you can."

Lex gave Clark a worried, concerned look as he did so. "Clark---"

Clark reached over and kissed him, cutting off the words. "I promise, I'll explain. Let's get out there first."

With a reluctant nod, Lex put the leashes on Mist and Tolly and walked with them along the bridge. He kept a very tight hold on their leashes, not letting them get into any danger with the edges.

Clark leaned against the bridge railing, watching the river go by. "I used to stop by here all the time on my way home. The river was always soothing, always interesting. The day you came by, I was lost in my thoughts, not paying any attention to the road. I heard the bang as your car hit the bailing roll, and I turned around to see the car spinning out of control. Like an idiot, I just stood there, not moving." Clark tossed a pebble over the railing. "I saw your eyes. You had been fighting the car, but then when you saw me standing there... you didn't care about anything right then except trying not to hit me."

During the remembrance, Lex had opened his mouth a few times when there were pauses. Each time, he shut it again and stayed quiet. He crouched and petted the puppies instead.

"I didn't lie. The first words out of my mouth. When you said you thought you hit me. I didn't actually lie..." Clark gulped, running his hands over the railing. "I just... the car hit me, sending me through the railing, pushed by the car, my hands on the hood. I should have been dead. I knew I should have been."

Clark left the railing and walked down the hill to the riverbank. Lex and the puppies followed him, still silent. Well, Lex was silent – the puppies were raising a racket, eager to explore this new area. Lex let the leashes out and handed Tolly's leash to Clark without saying a word.

With a slight smile that had a hard time sustaining itself, Clark watched the puppies play at the water's edge.

"I couldn't believe it. When I swam up to the surface of the water, I kept looking up, trying to figure out what happened. The car couldn't have hit me. It was impossible. It took me a few minutes to realize that the driver hadn't come up yet."

Clark tossed another pebble in the river, then had to haul back on the leash to prevent Tolly from trying to go in after it. "That was a rock, Tolly, a rock. Not a fetching toy."

Lex pulled one of the rubber sticks out of his pocket and tossed it a few feet away from the water, within the range of the leashes. Both dogs dashed for it. Tolly got it first, and came back tail wagging while Mist tried to grab it from her sister's mouth.

"Do you know how hard it is to find anything under water? In muddy, stirred-up water? I had to go back down twice more before I finally found the car. Thankfully, you were still in the car or I don't know how I would have found you.

"All the time I was dragging you to shore, though, and then carrying you onto land, I kept thinking that my delay could have cost you your life. You weren't breathing. I... I was so scared."

Lex walked a few steps over and stood next to Clark so their sides were pressed together. He tossed the stick for the dogs again. This time, Mist got it first.

Clark drew a shuddering breath. "And then you lived. And you said you'd hit me." Clark looked back up at the bridge where the railing didn't even show where once it had been broken. "I didn't deliberately lie. All I could think was that if you had hit me, I'd be dead. I wasn't dead. Why wasn't I dead?

"All my life, I've been strong. That was nothing new. It took my parents training me not to show it that was the hard part; a child doesn't know what unusual is. I got the speed later, and that was something I knew was odd, but it was also **fun**. I love to run.

"But being hit by a car?" Clark shook his head. "That was new. I'd been getting tougher... things that used to hurt me, like taking a cookie sheet out of the oven with my bare hands, didn't anymore. That was cool, if a little weird. But this? While we were sitting there with blankets around us and huddling against the cold, I was freaking out the whole time."

Lex spoke for the first time. "You didn't show it. Well, nothing that I didn't think was due to anything more. I was so thankful that you **were** alive that I didn't push it then. I thought I'd killed you. To have you instead save my life... It was a miracle."

With his free hand not holding the leash, Clark slipped his arm around Lex's waist and held him tight. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you and kept lying to you."

Lex returned the gesture, leaning against Clark. "I'm sorry I investigated you and kept questioning it until it almost destroyed our friendship."

"Every legend has its rough spots." Clark smiled. "That's what makes it a legend, right?"

"Overcoming all odds, winning despite those against us," Lex agreed. "We did make it through, right?"

"Yeah. And, uh, Lex?"

Lex tilted his head up to look inquiringly at Clark.

"I, um, I'm an alien. Not a mutant. An alien. I found out that day when I got home. My spaceship was in the meteor shower when it crashed, and I'm really sorry about that too."

Lex nodded thoughtfully, then untangled himself from Clark. Catching Clark's hand in his, he tugged him forward along the path. "The puppies want to explore."

Clark followed obediently as the puppies raced ahead, happy they were moving. They walked along the river for a little ways. Lex still hadn't said anything about the alien bit. Clark was reassured by the hand-holding, yet he still was nervous. "Is that... Are you...?"

Lex smiled. "I wondered. It's obvious there have been aliens among us – the caves, the Indian folk-lore, the sightings. And you weren't like the other mutants." As they paused, the puppies ran back to them and wanted attention. Lex transferred his leash to the hand that was holding Clark's and used his now free hand to toss the stick again. "It hurt, to think I was close to you, yet excluded. I kept wondering if I was really as close to you as I thought I was. Sometimes, it really didn't seem like it, and I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong. Helen was my attempt to try and be close to somebody else; to see if it was me who was the failure."

"I'm sorry," Clark said again, helplessly. That had been a rather miserable failure. Though at the time, it had seemed to be working. He'd enjoyed seeing Lex happy and he'd liked Helen, had trusted her, though not entirely by choice but by circumstance. It had seemed to be working, though. Then it had all come crashing down, literally, and they all found that trust was more confusing than not. Not a two-way road, but a six-way one with by-passes and round-abouts. Lex was hurt, again, and this time he didn't look like he would ever open up that way again. Clark was thankful that he had known Lex before this happened. He knew, though, that if he'd chosen to pull away from Lex instead of getting closer, that it would have damaged Lex irrevocably. This now, with them together, was right and Clark silently gave thanks that he'd stayed.

"It was my mistake," Lex sighed. "And I went a little overboard in trying to prove I could be open and honest with somebody, I think."

"Just a little," Clark remarked wryly, remembering Lex's efforts. He was sure he hadn't even known half of them. The thing was, though, they'd all been made to the wrong person. Clark had been too young, didn't know enough of the world back then, or he would have told Lex much earlier that Lex was his.

Tolly came tearing back and flung herself at their feet, tongue out panting and little legs sprawling in a state of utter exhaustion. Mist came back slower, collapsing next to Tolly and rolling over to show her tummy.

"Poor girls." Lex freed his hand and bent over to first rub Mist's stomach and then pick her up. He handed Mist to Clark and then he picked up Tolly. "I think we've exhausted them."

Little puppy feet and big puppy hearts. They'd just kept going until they'd had enough. "We'll have to be more careful in the future."

"Yeah." Lex leaned over his armful of puppy, maneuvered around Clark's armful of puppy, and darted in for a kiss. "Thank you. Thank you for telling me."

"I've always wanted to. I was scared you'd turn from me."

"Never," Lex assured him. "After all, we have a pair of puppies we have to raise. I certainly am not going to do that all by myself."

Clark laughed and assured Lex in turn that he'd always be there for him and the puppies, no matter what.

They headed back to the castle. At which, the puppies had completely recovered from their exhaustion and wanted to be played with all over again. So Clark and Lex obliged, enjoying both the puppies and each other.

... ... ...

The weeks went by faster than they knew. The puppies learned 'sit', 'stay', and 'heel', and also got their first introduction to snow. They were as dubious about the snow as they were about the initial training, but after the first shock, jumped right in. They now had five sets of sweaters and a set of raincoats. The sweaters ranged from your basic black to a Crow's yellow and red. Clark wouldn't tell Lex where he'd gotten that pair and teased them both by having the puppies wear that set every time they went into the Talon.

The townsfolk loved the sweaters, and loved the dogs. They whispered, yes, but indulgently, smiling at the young man with his toy dogs. Not proper working dogs at all... but Lex was different. And the ladies loved them. They whispered what a shame it was that all the cute guys were gay, even as they reached down to pet the dogs.

Clark listened to the whispers, hid his grin, and held hands with Lex as often as he could reasonably do so. He really didn't mind that the town knew that Lex was taken, and they actually seemed easier with that then they ever had with Lex as Lionel Luthor's son.

"It doesn't make me any less dangerous," Lex had remarked once as the ladies walked away giggling. That time, they had come close to petting Lex in addition to petting the dogs.

"I know," Clark responded, and darted in for a quick kiss.

"Blofeld had a Persian cat. And he was the ultimate Bond villain."

"I know, Lex," Clark patiently repeated. "It's okay; I still love you."

Lex shot him an evil glare. Then stifling laughter, they went on with their walk.

Overall, things were good. Clark was happy, Lex was happy, the puppies were happy...

... ... ...

Clark was in the kitchen washing dishes while his parents were in the living room deciding on what to watch for the evening. He paused and put the plate he was working on down as he heard the sound of an expensive car pulling in quickly, scattering gravel in the path. Lex hadn't taken roads that roughly for... well, since he started driving around with puppies in the car. (Which had also necessitated a change of cars, needing ones with back seats and room for the carriers.)

Pounding knocks shook the front door. Martha and Jonathan started forward, but Clark was already there and opened it.

A distraught Lex came in. He glanced worriedly at Clark, then focused his attention on Martha and Jonathan. "I'm sorry, I didn't know where else to take them. They're in the car. And I know, but I can't leave them there, and I don't want to bother you, but please... maybe the loft with a heater? Or Clark's room, though they'll have to come through for breaks. Just for a little while until I figure something out."

The sentences followed rapidly one upon the other with almost no time for breath between. Clark reached out to Lex, but Lex flinched away, his attention still mostly on Clark's parents.

Martha blinked, then held her hand up to her mouth. "The puppies? You have the puppies out in the car? They'll freeze out there! Clark, go bring them in immediately. Lex, are they okay?"

"They're okay," Lex answered in a half-relieved, half-unsure manner. "They just can't stay at the castle right now. We..." He trailed off, looking away.

Clark glanced at his dad. Jonathan grimaced. "I'll deal. You heard your mother, get them in. I'll just..." he looked around and then edged his way to the stairwell. "I'll go upstairs if I need to. But get those pups in here now."

"Thank you," Lex whispered brokenly, his arms wrapping around himself as he shivered in reaction, one worry less.

The temptation to hold Lex was strong, however Lex was safe with Clark's parents for the moment. Clark reached into Lex's coat packet for the keys and then went outside to the car. It was parked at an angle; just driven quickly in and stopped without regard to anything but getting there, testament to Lex's hurry. He opened the doors and got the carrier with the puppies. The puppies were huddled in it, whimpering and whining – quite unlike their usual cheerful approach. "Hey," Clark gently said as he picked up the carrier. "It's okay. It's okay now, really." He didn't know for certain it was, but he'd do all he could to reassure the pubs and Lex of it.

Back inside, Martha had gotten Lex to sit down at the table and was pushing some hot apple cider on him. Lex wasn't relaxing, though, until he saw Clark and the puppies.

Clark put the carrier down and looked over at his dad.

Jonathan had one foot on the first step of the staircase. "Go ahead, let them out."

"You sure, Dad?"

His dad grimaced. "I'm sure. I'll deal. But let the poor things out so they know they're safe."

With a shrug, Clark opened the carrier door.

The pups edged out, Tolly in the lead. They had their heads up and their noses sniffing, yet bodies low to the ground and their tails weren't moving as they cautiously came into the dining room. They both went straight to Lex, who reached down and petted them. "It's okay. Good Mist. Good Tolly. It's okay now."

Clark walked around and knelt down, putting his arms around Lex's waist and the chair back, holding Lex tight. He rested his head against Lex's side. He felt Lex shudder, and then the next words of reassurance to the puppies were more believable.

The puppies sensed the change and started wagging their tails. They snuffled over Clark and then headed to Martha – a familiar scent to them. The wagging got more intense and the two puppies both seemed to realize at the same time that they had a whole new world to explore. They dashed off – Mist into the kitchen and Tolly into the family room. Clark winced a bit, but the house was fairly tame, not too many things they could get into trouble with.

"Now, son, what's all this about?" Jonathan asked from his position on the stairs. He'd retreated up a couple more steps but was holding his ground and concentrating now on Lex.

Lex shivered again. "Dad came over. He'd heard about the dogs, and about Clark, and he..." Lex trailed off.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Martha asked, horrified.

"No, not... but there after the first few rounds we'd gone at it, we were onto the yelling part, and then Mist and Tolly..." He glanced over at the pups exploring. "They defended me. You should have seen them. A foot tall, barely any weight to them, and there they were between me and him, growling their little hearts out, protecting me. They were **protecting** me. Nobody's ever protected me from him before. But there they were..."

Clark's heart completely shattered at the account and he held onto Lex even tighter. He wished he'd been there. If Lex wanted protecting, Clark would protect him now for the rest of his life. Never, ever again.

"Did they bite him?" Martha sounded torn between hoping they had and hoping they hadn't.

"No. But only because Dad has good reflexes, and they minded me when I called them back. They wanted to. They were right there between us. Protecting me. You should have seen the look on Dad's face. Or not. At first he was just astonished. Then he was angry. Angrier. I don't... I couldn't leave them there after that. I don't know what Dad would do."

"He would hurt a puppy?" As bad an opinion as Jonathan had of Lionel Luthor, even Clark's dad sounded astonished at the possibility. There were some evils that were just beyond imagination.

"No. No, well, I don't think... Not hurt. Not like you mean. But he could have somebody come in and take them and sell them somewhere or give them to the animal shelter, or do **something** to get rid of them. He'd do that. I wouldn't be able to stop him. Not while I was at work. I'd have to take the puppies with me everywhere, and he could get in during some point. A meeting, a dinner, some point where I wasn't there... I can't risk it. Not with them. They rely on me, they need me. I'm not going to let them down. But I can't..."

Clark finally turned the chair around and then hugged Lex more properly, running his hands over Lex's face and neck and arms before sliding them around to Lex's back, getting between him and the chair, rubbing soothing patterns while Clark leaned up to kiss Lex's cheek, whispering reassure to him while he did so. "Lex, it's okay. You're here now, they're here. They're safe, you're safe. I've got you; we've got you. It's okay."

Lex shuddered again and then put his arms around Clark and held on tight. "I was so worried. I've never been worried for myself, not really. But Dad was so angry at them..."

"They can stay here as long as they need to." Martha was firm on that, and when Clark glanced over, his dad was nodding as well. "You can too."

"I don't want to get you in trouble with him," Lex said, starting to sound a bit more like himself.

Jonathan snorted. "That would be nothing new. No, don't mind yourself about that. You're family, and family – at least the Kent family – protects their own."

Lex looked up, jerking out of Clark's hold, to stare at Jonathan for a long shocked moment. "Thank you," he finally whispered.

"No need, son," Jonathan said gruffly.

Lex swallowed. Then he touched a trembling hand to Clark's cheek. "Clark..."

Clark put his hand over Lex's, holding the touch there. "We're not going to let the mean bad wolf get our pups, no way."

Finally, a smile. Well, mostly a smile. Sort of a smile. It was a good attempt at one, at least.

"Does he just come into your home whenever he wants to? There must be some way of stopping him from that. Change the locks, get a restraining order... " Seeing Lex calmer, Martha moved on to practicalities.

Lex shrugged. "It's his place, not mine. He just lets me stay there. First because it was convenient for the Plant management, and then, well... he's been trying to get me to move back to Metropolis since that summer, but I've been resisting. He's never made an issue out of where I live, before, though I know he likes having me where he can keep an eye on me." He gently extracted himself from Clark's grip and took a sip of the cider. Putting the mug down, he continued, "There's no practical way I can keep him out of either the castle or the Plant. Both of them are his."

The Kent family were all surprised into silence for a little while. They'd never really thought of that before. Lex was always so confident, so secure in all he did and he lived in the castle. That the castle was Lionel's... they'd all forgotten.

"You could get your own place," Martha suggested tentatively.

"I was thinking about that," Lex admitted. "When Clark goes to college. Whichever college he chooses. I'll have to get someplace then anyhow."

Clark had to smile at the automatic assumption that it was matter of fact that Lex would follow Clark anywhere, that they were going to be together no matter what. It was true. Their relationship was anything but casual, and they would stick together through everything.

"Lex..." Jonathan walked into the kitchen and pulled out another chair, sitting down.

They all looked at him in surprise.

Jonathan looked back. Then he glanced over at the puppies. They'd explored for a long time, periodically coming by to check out the humans too, then going back through the house. Finally, though, they were relaxing. Mist had found the couch and was curled up on Martha's blanket. Tolly decided that under the sofa table was her spot – she was barely discernable among the newspapers and magazines stacked there.

"They're not exactly the Goliaths of the dog world, are they?" Jonathan asked wryly. "More like Davids. Or cats with attitude. I'll adjust. Anything that growls at Lionel Luthor is a friend of mine. Now if you'd brought home Pit Bulls or German Shepherds..." He shook his head. "But that's not what's important now. Lex, how much money do you have?"

Lex blinked. "Um, well, some of it is in stocks, and we're still sorting out the mess from last year, but..." He paused. "I'm not actually sure. It's been dribbling back to me in bits and pieces. The lawyers tell me when there's another bit returned, but they're taking their shares, of course, and Dad isn't willing to relinquish more than he needs to, greedy bastard. 200k? Somewhere between 200 and 400, likely."

They all stared at him. Clark was the first one to say it. "You're not a millionaire?"

Lex rolled his eyes. "My **dad** is the millionaire. Where would I get that kind of money by myself? The job as Plant Manager didn't pay **that** well." He shrugged. "I had some money of my own, left to me from my mom when she died, and it was tradition for me to get stocks for birthday gifts from relatives, but most of that I put into the buy-out of the Plant. Poor little tiny LexCorp was really struggling to get started, and then when I was declared dead... well, there went that."

"But you're alive! Don't they... I mean, it's yours..." Clark sputtered.

"What exactly, was mine? A corporation that went out of business while I was dead and was reabsorbed into the parent company. Actually, my part of that was all divided up among the rest of the employees by my will, and they sold back to LuthorCorp. To recover that... would be almost impossible, and it would also be rather devastating to the employees that benefited. LuthorCorp is the legal entity that needed to pay me back, but then there was the debate about actual value. I do have Cadmas - the person that it went to gave it back to me free and clear. Everything else, though…" Lex shrugged again and drank more cider. "Believe me, it's all just a bit of a mess. Don't ever die, it really mucks with your finances."

Martha and Jonathan traded concerned looks. "The deed for the farm..."

Clark didn't know the exact amount, but he knew it had been a **lot** of money – and Lex had given it back to them in full, no mortgages attached.

"Ah..." Lex flushed and hid his face over his cider. "I, uh..." He grimaced, obviously realized he wouldn't be able to get out of that one. "I had some physical assets that were more easily returned to me. I sold a few of those."

Clark paled. "Not your mom's jewelry!"

Lex shook his head. "The cars. I had too many of them anyhow. Who needs more than two or three to get around in? And dad bought me more anyhow – guilt for the island, I think." Lex looked around at them. "Please don't start another roun--- Um, please don't... Um... The compass – it really did save my life, more than once on that island."

"Easy there," Jonathan chuckled. "It's not like we can say 'no' a year and a half later. We'll just say 'thank you' again. But what I was asking earlier, I said that wrong. What I meant was are you able right now to put 15 percent down on 200 thousand? And a mortgage?"

Lex coughed over his mug. When he regained his voice, he said dryly, "I think I can manage that... Are you looking at expanding?"

Martha gently smacked him on his arm. "For yourself, Lex. For yourself. Nell's house has come up for sale again and they haven't found a buyer for it yet. Three owners in two years has spooked most potential sales off."

Both Clark and Lex blinked and then turned to look at each other. The Potter house was just down the road and one could see it from the barn loft. Other than the rather weird associations with Lana having lived there, it would be perfect.

"Say yes," Clark urged, his smile widening as Lex absorbed the possibilities.

"You really want me that close?" Lex asked of Clark's parents. "I come with periodic reporters and a nosy father."

"Of course we do," Martha scolded lightly. "Also, we would get to see more of Clark this way," Martha added with a smile of her own. "You and the puppies have just about kidnapped him, and we only have another year left before he leaves us."

"I'll always come back," Clark promised.

"We know, son," Jonathan placed a hand on Clark's shoulder and squeezed. "It's just not quite the same."

Clark turned to spontaneously hug his dad. Jonathan hugged him back, secure with the family bond.

Lex watched with a smile, and then he got his own hug too as Martha came around next to him. "You're part of the family, now, Lex. You and the puppies."

... ... ...

That Christmas saw them all in the Kent home together.

Lex and the puppies had come the half-mile up the road, with their car full of presents and wine for the dinner. Clark had greeted them with a kiss for Lex and a petting for the dogs. Martha and Jonathan waited until they were done before coming over with their own greetings.

Somewhat surprisingly, in the time since Lex had bought the house and moved over, Lionel had left him alone. Business dealings here and there with the Plant, and the occasional visit, but no more arguments and he wasn't trying to get Lex to move to Metropolis anymore. They all appreciated it so far, but were also all waiting for the next shoe to drop. Lionel wasn't invited for Christmas. Which was easy to get out of since he was hosting the annual LuthorCorp celebration. Lex had declined **that** invitation, and his dad hadn't said anything.

They were storing up their good luck, putting in the memories now and enjoying the times they had together. Sure, they knew there would be some more rough times ahead probably. But right now was the time to enjoy what was here: All of them together.

Sitting on the floor next to Lex's chair, Clark leaned over a snoozing Mist and grabbed another present from under the tree. "It's for Dad." He handed the present to Lex, who handed it to Martha, who started to hand it to Jonathan and then paused.

"Maybe I should open it for you?" she asked with a giggle.

Jonathan had his hands full of Tolly as she turned around and around in his lap, trying to get the ribbon from the last present. "Is there another Tolly present there?" he asked. "That might help..."

Clark laughed. "I think there are more presents here for Tolly and Mist than there are for the rest of us combined." He dug one out and found the companion piece for Mist – most of the dogs' presents having come in pairs. He passed the one for Tolly along the earlier route.

"Oh, what do we have for Tolly?" Martha asked in a sing-songy voice as she deliberately crinkled the wrapping paper while untying the ribbon.

Tolly turned around and tried to hop from Jonathan's lap to Martha's. Jonathan held on with a laugh. "Better hurry, honey."

"Oh look! A treat toy! With a treat inside!" Martha unveiled the round ball with a hole on the side. She waited until Lex was ready with his, and then they both tossed them on the ground at the same time. Tolly jumped and ran for hers while a now-awake Mist did the same. They pawed at the toys, rolling them around over the floor until a treat inside the toy fell out from the hole.

"I could have made that easily," Jonathan muttered under his breath while watching the dogs with a grin.

"Yes, dear," Martha agreed with a smile. Christmas was the time for gifts, even un-needed gifts.

They had had to be careful about their savings for so long, that it was a real relief to be able to buy things somewhat frivolously. The dogs gave them the perfect excuse as well, since nobody thought twice over gifts for puppies. Half the gifts, though, were hand-made out in the barn as Jonathan put his skills to use in another way. Martha had said humorously that their produce and baked goods sales to the town would have to be expanded to dog toys as well. Jonathan was thinking about it.

With the dogs distracted, Martha handed Jonathan his present. He opened it. "A set of miscellaneous tractor parts. Very funny, Clark. Thank you."

Clark grinned. "Well, we're always wondering where this bolt or that one disappeared to... I thought it might be handy to have some extras."

The next present was to Lex from Martha. He pulled out the long plum scarf with evident delight. "It's so soft..." They had all noticed that while Lex didn't like to wear hats, he loved scarves – the more, the better, and winter was the excuse to wear them.

The dogs got the next present – one box with both their names on it. Lex opened that one and stared at little at the contents. Martha started giggling, revealing who had gotten it.

He turned to look at her. "Hair ornaments? Barrettes, bows, ... gingham daisies?"

"There's a tiara in there too," Jonathan pointed out helpfully.

"They'll be the best dressed dogs around," Clark laughed.

Lex groaned but laughed as well, and made Mist sit still so he could tie one of the bows in right away. Clark did the honors for Tolly.

They continued until none were left. When there were no more presents under the tree, Lex sat on the floor next to Clark and cuddled up with him. Martha leaned over and did the same with Jonathan on the couch. The puppies were already sprawled out in exhausted heaps in the middle of the wrapping paper.

Lex looked around at everybody. "I have one more thank you to give for you, all of you. This has been the best year of my life, and it wouldn't have been possible without the gift of happiness that you freely shared with me."

Clark hugged Lex tight. "It's the same for us, you know. Your puppies, yourself, having us here together. Things could have gone so wrong, but this year has just been wonderful. You've given us that gift of happiness too."

"Shared all around, a cup for all," Martha and Jonathan agreed.

They sat there together and enjoyed the gift of happiness shared by all.

 

* * *

  


END

**Author's Note:**

> Written for DancesWithGary in the Clexmas Holiday Gift Exchange. Come and see the rest of the gifts too! The [2010 Clexmas Collection](http://community.livejournal.com/clexmas/35854.html) and [Stocking Stuffers](http://community.livejournal.com/clexmas/35761.html). Lots of great fic, art, and vids in there. :)


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